Comment by Gigachad
The pebble wasn’t an epaper display either. It was just a dull low power lcd.
The pebble wasn’t an epaper display either. It was just a dull low power lcd.
No? Wikipedia says E-ink is a specific brand of e-paper, and e-paper isn't LCD. Right?
Yes. E-paper is a specific name/brand used for transreflective LCDs. If I remember correctly, Sharp started calling it so. E-ink and e-paper can be called electronic paper, but e-paper isn't usually e-ink and e-paper usually is LCD.
So, Pebble Time's LCD is indeed e-paper, but is not e-ink.
E-Ink is a specific company’s name which can’t be used to describe the same display technology when used by any other company.
Today e paper is widely understood to mean the display technology which companies like e ink and waveshare use for displays which don’t need power to retain an image.
You’re right that historically it’s been confusing. Historically e ink was the only company making these displays since it was all patented so using their brand name as the technology name worked better back then than it does today.
Transflective memory cell lcd's are amazing technology for the price they cost and the power they use. You trade some viberance for that but I'd call that acceptable tradeoff for always on.
The "epaper" branding is Sharp's idea. And "epaper" has been used for all kinds of things which are not the technology eInk has developed and popularized.